Friday, December 18, 2009

diaphanous \dy-AF-uh-nuhs\, adjective:

1. Of such fine texture as to allow light to pass through; translucent or transparent.
2. Vague; insubstantial.

Diaphanous ultimately derives from Greek diaphanes, "showing through," from diaphainein, "to show through, to be transparent," from dia-, "through" + phainein, "to show, to appear." It is related to phantom, something apparently sensed but having no physical reality.

Semper Ubi Sub Ubi

• A phrase popular among first year Latin students, the phrase means "always wear underwear." The literal translation is "always where under where."

Pope: Hey...did you hear what those American's said?

Cardinals, yawning: No, holiness.

Pope: Semper Ubi Sub Ubi.

Cardinals: Semper...always where under where...underwear! Ha, you've gotten us again holiness. You god damn trickster!

Trivia
In the world of surfing, what’s a quiver?

• A surfer’s collection of surfboards, or a bag that holds several boards.

Today in History

• Amendment XIII: anti-slavery amendment to the US Constitution was declared ratified by Secretary of State William Seward, abolishing the practice (1865)
• The Nutcracker: Tchaikovsky's classic holiday ballet premiered in Saint Petersburg(1892)
• capital punishment in the United Kingdom: was abolished by both houses of Parliament (1969)
• Tokyo Wan Aqua-Line: 1.5 trillion yen, 15-kilometer bridge-tunnel opened across Tokyo Bay (1997) after 31 years of construction

Today's Birthdays

• Francis Ferdinand (1863-1914): Archduke of Austria whose assassination sparked WWI; plus, world leader Willy Brandt (1913-1992)
• Ty Cobb (1886-1961): baseball hall of famer
• Steven Spielberg (63): highest-grossing filmmaker of all time; plus, directors Hal Kanter (91),George Stevens (1904-1975), Ossie Davis (1917- 2005), Alan Rudolph (66) and Gillian Armstrong (59) were also born on this date
• Leonard Maltin (59): movie critic
• Brad Pitt (46): heartthrob actor, activist and family man; also, actors Betty Grable (1916-1973), Roger Smith (77), Ray Liotta (54), Rachel Griffiths (41) and Katie Holmes (31)
• Christina Aguilera (29): Grammy-winning pop singer; also, musicians Fletcher Henderson(1897/8-1952). Lonnie Brooks (76), possible zombie Keith Richards (66), Alejandro Sanz (41) and DMX (39)